Energy from Waste (EfW) Testing Showcased at RWM

22 August 2014

ESG, the UK’s leading inspection, testing and compliance services provider, will be holding live demonstrations of the lifecycle of waste in the Energy from Waste (EfW) process at the upcoming RWM (Resource Efficiency and Waste Management Solutions) Exhibition 2014.

By 2016, Key Note forecasts that the total UK waste management market will have a value of £10.79bn and by 2020 it is expected that the level of renewable energy used in the UK’s fuel mix will have grown by 236 per cent, relative to 2011[1]. As the market grows, EfW is likely to continue to prove increasingly popular as a means of power generation, because it utilises waste in the most cost efficient way possible, while also seeking to preserve the natural environment.

The production of energy from waste can be achieved by processes such as incineration and anaerobic digestion, and optimised by controlling and testing the feedstock. Where incineration is pursued, the residues can be recycled subject to appropriate testing. For example, in many cases, the coarser constituents of incinerator bottom ash (IBA), can be used as a secondary aggregate. For anaerobic digestion, the residue or digestate - which is naturally rich in nutrients - can be used as a fertiliser.

ESG’s analytical and energy experts, Amy Parekh-Pross, George Bradley and Trevor Worrall will be on stand 4B34-C35 to discuss and demonstrate the testing methodologies ESG can undertake for waste that goes through the EfW process, including:

Testing to determine the chemical composition of the solid waste, to enable classification as either hazardous, or non-hazardous

Testing for leachable components of the solid waste and assessment against Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) for the appropriate class of landfill, if required

Jim Clay, operations director, Energy Services at ESG, explained: “We have decadesof combined experience in the EfW sector and are able to offer our clients a comprehensive suite of tests for EfW - with rapid turnaround times. We also provide sample preparation, the development of sampling protocols, and product compositional testing.

“Visitors to RWM will be able to see some of the tests demonstrated on our stand and have the opportunity to interact with the samples and find out more about the services we offer.”

The RWM Exhibition takes place 16-18 September 2014 at Birmingham’s NEC Arena.